Is Your Family Pet a Mosquito?

Is Your Family Pet a Mosquito?

Chances are, most people would deny keeping
mosquitoes as pets. But they might want to think again. A good pet owner
provides a comfortable home for their pet, feeds it regularly and makes
sure any babies have a safe place to grow and develop. Homeowners who
don't eliminate standing water around their property and take no
precautions to protect themselves from being bitten when they are
outdoors are creating the perfect environment for mosquitoes to breed and
thrive.

Check the following to make sure you are not providing a good home for
mosquitoes in your yard:

Discard cans and containers, store them inside or turn them upside
down.

Store old tires where they can't collect rainwater.

Clean out leaves and debris blocking and holding water in roof
gutters.

Clean and change the water in bird baths every five to seven
days.

Change water regularly in wading pools and turn them over when not in
use.

Treat standing water that cannot be drained with a mosquito larvicide
to keep mosquitoes from breeding. Residents may only apply larvicides
on their own property.

Tightly cover unused swimming pools or treat standing water in an
unused pool with a larvicide.

Mosquitoes thrive on the blood they eat from their victims. Follow these
precautions to avoid being bitten by a mosquito:

Wear long, loose, light-colored clothing outdoors.

Use insect repellent products with no more than 35 percent DEET for
adults and less than 10 percent for children. Avoid using DEET on
infants.

Make sure windows and door screens fit tightly and are in good
repair.

Use yellow bug lights for outdoor lighting.

Make sure you don't have an unwelcome family pet in your back yard. For
more information on mosquito management, call the Health Department at
703-246 2300, TTY 703-591-6435 or visit the county Web site at www.fairfaxcounty.gov.

FAIRFAX COUNTY IS COMMITTED TO A POLICY OF
NONDISCRIMINATION IN ALL COUNTY PROGRAMS, SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES AND
WILL PROVIDE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS UPON REQUEST. TO REQUEST SPECIAL
ACCOMMODATIONS, CALL 703-324-3187 OR TTY-703-324-2935. PLEASE ALLOW
FIVE WORKING DAYS IN ADVANCE OF EVENTS IN ORDER TO MAKE THE NECESSARY
ARRANGEMENTS